At Casting Frontier, our mission is to amplify the careers of actors everywhere by making it effortless to try out for acting roles, auditions, and casting calls online. But in addition to helping connect top talent with casting directors through our online platform, we strive to be a resource for all aspects of building an acting career – and if stage fright is a problem for you, we can help. While it may seem counterintuitive, stage fright is a hugely common experience even for professional actors. The trick is learning the best strategies for quelling stage fright and giving a great performance regardless.
Tips for Overcoming Acting Stage Fright
Are the butterflies in your stomach feeling more like a cardiac episode coming on than a friendly tingle? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Stage fright is something almost all actors experience at one point or another, but it doesn’t have to ruin your performance. Whether you’re auditioning for a casting call or gearing up for a major performance, these tips can help you beat stage fright and wow your audience:
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Visualization
This is a great mental trick many successful actors use. Before getting on stage, take some time to close your eyes and visualize success. Get as deep into the visualization as possible, making it vivid with details: what do you see looking at the audience? What do the stage lights feel like? How does your costume feel against your body? Then visualize yourself acing the part and giving a knock-out performance.
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More Practice
Practice makes perfect, and it’s another great way to help minimize stage fright. After all, nothing makes stage fright worse like not knowing your lines! Practice your script over and over until the words are drilled into your memory, and to make this even more effective, practice in front of people so you get a feel for performing it.
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Check Your Posture
When we feel threatened, it’s natural for us to unconsciously hunch over and tense up. When you experience stage fright, take a moment to notice the position of your body and correct your posture to a more confident, open stance. This sends a message to your brain that things are just fine and can help calm anxiety.
Take the Next Step in Your Acting Career
These tips can help you defeat stage fright both before and while it happens, so make a point to practice them the next time you have an acting role or performance coming up that you’re concerned about. And if you’re currently hunting for that next role, Casting Frontier can help. Our platform lets you upload and submit your headshots, acting resume, and audition videos to real casting directors, all online – sign up today!
Want to get your acting career started? Sign up or login to Casting Frontier and start auditioning today!
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